Legal and Educ

Who is Eligible for Legal Assistance Benefits?

As an employee in a collective bargaining unit of a contributing employer, you will be eligible for legal assistance benefits as outlined below. Your employer must make contributions to the Legal and Educational Assistance Fund on your behalf for you to be eligible.

Generally, your participation begins on the first day of your fourth month of employment. For example, if you began working on January 9th, your eligibility for legal assistance benefits would begin on April 1st (the first day of your fourth month of employment). Once you become eligible, you are a Participant in the Plan.

Your dependents become eligible for legal assistance benefits at the same time you become eligible for benefits. If you add dependents after this day (for example, because of your marriage or the birth or adoption of your child), they will become eligible on the day they become your dependents. Your dependents are:

  • Your spouse;
  • Your children until the end of the calendar year in which they attain age 26; and
  • Opposite and Same Sex Domestic Partners who were added to coverage on or before December 31, 2014.

Please note that the term “child” includes a stepchild; a legally adopted child or child placed for adoption; a child of a domestic partner who was added to coverage on or before December 31, 2014; or a foster child.

Before your dependents can receive benefits under the Plan, you will need to submit appropriate verification of their dependent status to the Fund Office (for example, a certified marriage certificate for your spouse or a certified birth certificate for your child).

How the Legal Assistance Plan Works

The Plan has contracted with the law offices of CTM Legal Group to provide the legal services available to you under the Plan. CTM Legal Group is known as the Plan’s “Legal Services Provider.” You can reach CTM as follows:

CTM Legal Group
77 W. Washington St., Ste. 2120
Chicago, IL 60602-2995
Telephone number: (312) 818-6700


Coverage of each matter under consideration is subject to the approval of the Plan’s Legal Services Provider.

The Plan provides legal services without limitation as to the number of hours on any matter listed below, except for family and marital matters (see below for limits).

The following benefits are available for participants and their dependents, as described below:

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS BEFORE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Plan attorneys will assist you and, if necessary, represent you in the following matters:

  • Claims for support of a spouse or child brought by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
  • Claims for unemployment compensation, not involving a contributing employer to the Plan.
  • Preparation and filing of applications for compensation under the Illinois Crime Victims Compensation Act.
  • Claims for Social Security disability insurance.

This benefit does not include representation before any court or agency review board (except for Healthcare and Family Services matters).

ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIP

Consultation and court representation in uncontested adoption and guardianship proceedings involving a minor child.

BANKRUPTCY

If a personal bankruptcy is advisable, the Participant will be represented in bankruptcy court.

CONSUMER DEBT

The Plan provides legal counsel, and if necessary, a Participant will be represented in court by an attorney for any debt problems including:

  • Debt problems resulting from loans, installment contracts, collection actions, and wage assignments;
  • Suits against Participant or Dependent (limited to personal consumer debts);
  • Repossession – consumer debts only;
  • Defense of garnishments and citations;
  • Credit disputes – errors, credit rating, debt collectors, and similar circumstances;
  • Disputes with utilities (billing errors, shut-off services, deposit disputes).
FAMILY AND MARITAL MATTERS

Consultation and court representation in divorce (dissolution of marriage), annulment, legal separation, maintenance, child custody, child support, prenuptial agreements, post-divorce and paternity matters.

If both parties to the family or marital dispute are Participants in this Plan, only one Participant can be represented by the Plan’s Legal Service Provider. The other Participant will be entitled to the services of another attorney whose reasonable fees will be paid by the Plan.

The spouse of a Participant will be represented by the Plan’s Legal Service Provider in a disputed matter with the Participant only upon specific authorization of the Participant who must waive his right to be represented.


For all family and marital matters, the Plan provides up to 75 hours of attorneys’ time per proceeding at no cost to you.

FELONY CRIMINAL MATTERS

Representation in defense of felony criminal matters.

IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION

Plan attorneys will advise and consult concerning the citizenship and naturalization process, including assistance in the preparation of the application for naturalization, and they will attend your interview with you.

INITIAL ADVICE AND CONSULTATION

The Plan covers the first two hours of services for any matter not specifically listed.

MISDEMEANOR CRIMINAL MATTERS

Representation in defense of misdemeanor criminal matters.

NAME CHANGE PETITIONS

Plan attorneys will advise and represent in name change petitions and in petitions to correct a birth certificate.

PERSONAL INJURY – SPECIAL FEE REDUCTION

Plan attorneys will agree to a maximum share of 25% of any recovered amounts for personal injury or damage to your property.

PROBATE

Representation involving small estate matters, including the filing of a will and drafting of all documents necessary to establish the small estate for the Participant, the Participant’s spouse and the Participant’s direct descendants.

Representation of matters that do not qualify as a small estate, including the filing of a will and preparation of all documentation to open and close an estate for the Participant, his spouse or his direct descendants, but excluding contested matters.

PROPERTY DAMAGE AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

If you are involved in an automobile accident, Plan attorneys will represent you in the defense of a property damage lawsuit and also in a financial responsibility hearing before the Illinois Secretary of State involving your driver’s license suspension.

PROPERTY TRANSFER ON DEATH

Plan attorneys will represent you out of court in the transfer of property to you from a deceased person.

PURCHASE OF GOODS AND SERVICES

An attorney will be provided for matters including:

  • Warranty disputes, defective products, and similar issues;
  • Claims by or against a Participant as a consumer;
  • Negotiations, drafting and reviewing of consumer contracts to purchase goods and services for personal use.
REAL ESTATE AND TENANT PROTECTION

Real estate transactions applicable to a personal residence (single family) or a multi-family housing unit provided that at least one unit is the Participant’s legal residence, including:

  • Purchase or sale (no litigation);
  • Construction or home improvement loan;
  • Refinancing of mortgage;
  • Preparation of deeds;
  • Representation as a landlord or tenant in eviction proceedings;
  • Review and negotiation of lease for an apartment or home;
  • Consultation on disputes with landlords;
  • Mortgage foreclosure;
  • Land contract forfeiture.
TRAFFIC OFFENSES

The Plan covers the following traffic matters for any violation occurring in the state of residence of the eligible employee in addition to the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan:

  • Defense of minor and major moving violations;
  • Negotiations for parking tickets (administrative hearings).
UNLIMITED DISCOUNTED HOURS

The Plan provides unlimited hours of legal service at a discounted hourly rate for any matter not covered by the Plan. The Plan will not provide legal services for any action against a Fund or Union.

WILLS

Preparation of wills, living wills and healthcare powers of attorney (healthcare directives).


DISCLAIMER: If a Participant (or dependent) chooses to be represented by an attorney other than the Legal Services Provider identified herein, the Participant (or dependent) will be solely responsible for paying the legal fees charged by such other attorney. The Plan shall not be obligated to pay the legal fees charged by any attorney other than the Legal Services Provider on any matter. However, if the Participant (or dependent) demonstrates to the Board of Trustees that using the Plan’s Legal Services Provider for a specific matter will be unethical or improper under the circumstances of that matter, the Board of Trustees may approve the payment of reasonable legal fees, as determined by the Board of Trustees, incurred by the Participant (or dependent) for such matter.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE?

727 Division

As an employee in a collective bargaining unit of a contributing employer, you become a Participant in the Plan for educational assistance benefits on the first day of your fourth month of employment. (See below for special rule for part-time employees in the funeral industry.) You must work in every month of the school year to be entitled to educational assistance benefits for that academic school year. For example, for a school year that begins in August and ends the following June, you must begin working in the month of May (so that you are a Participant by August), and you must work (i.e., have contributions made on your behalf by your employer) in each month of the school year through the following June to be eligible for educational assistance benefits. You must also meet all other Plan requirements (see the section titled “Requirements to Receive Educational Assistance Benefits”).

MTSD Division:

As an employee in a Teamsters Local Union No. 727 collective bargaining unit of a contributing employer, you become a Participant in the Plan for educational assistance benefits on the first day of your employment. You must work in every month of the school year to be entitled to educational assistance benefits for that academic school year. For example, for a school year that begins in August and ends the following June, you must be working in the month of August, and you must work (i.e., have contributions made on your behalf by your employer) in each month of the school year through the following June to be eligible for educational assistance benefits. You must also meet all other Plan requirements (see the section titled “Requirements to Receive Educational Assistance Benefits”).

Part-Time Funeral Industry Employees

As a part-time employee in the funeral industry in a collective bargaining unit of a contributing employer, you may become eligible for educational assistance benefits if you work at least 200 hours during a standard 12-month accumulation period. The standard 12-month accumulation period begins with June each year and ends the following May. If you work (i.e., have contributions made on your behalf by your employer) at least 200 hours during the accumulation period of June through the following May, you may be eligible for educational assistance benefits for the academic school year corresponding to that accumulation period (e.g., if you work at least 200 hours during the period from June 2026 through May 2027, you may be eligible for benefits for the 2026-2027 academic school year). You must also meet all other Plan requirements (see the section titled “Requirements to Receive Educational Assistance Benefits”).

Dependent Eligibility

When you are eligible for educational assistance benefits, your dependents are also eligible, provided they remain a dependent for the entire school year and meet all other Plan requirements (see the section titled “Requirements to Receive Educational Assistance Benefits”).

Your dependents are:

  • Your spouse;
  • Your children until the end of the calendar year in which they attain age 26; and
  • Opposite and Same Sex Domestic Partners who were added to coverage on or before December 31, 2014.

Please note that the term “child” includes a stepchild; a legally adopted child or child placed for adoption; a child of a domestic partner who was added to coverage on or before December 31, 2014; or a foster child.

Before your dependents can receive benefits under the Plan, you will need to submit appropriate verification of their dependent status to the Fund Office (for example, a certified marriage certificate for your spouse or a certified birth certificate for your child).

How do I apply for Educational Assistance benefits?

How do I know if a school accredited?

This information is usually listed on the back of the school’s transcript, or it can be found here:

https://www.hlcommission.org/